Stringent new work permit regulations for non-EU students

Denmark has introduced stringent new regulations for work permits for international students from outside Europe and their accompanying family members due to extensive reports of misuse, uncovered, in particular, by the news site for the trade union United Federation of Workers in Denmark (3F).

3F is Denmark’s largest trade union, with approximately 251,819 skilled and unskilled members as of January 2025, according to Fagbladet 3F.

The news of the alleged misuse of work permits hit the headlines under the main issue “Shortcut” on Fagbladet 3F no fewer than 16 times from February to April 2025.

Headlines included: “Minister is taking the case very seriously: Can be a backdoor into the Danish work life”; “International students are coming as an avalanche into 3F occupations: Actions from the minister needed”; “Nepalese student: I came to Denmark to work – My education was only an entrance ticket”; and “Minister on the Nepalese fraud with work permits: I am getting angry”.

Under the present regulations international students from outside the European Union have the right to work part-time while studying. From September to May, students can work up to 20 hours a week. During summer vacation, they can work full-time.

Partners who come with the students are also allowed to work because their permission is tied to the student’s visa.

The right of students to work in addition to their studies has also been a great problem for Denmark with regard to students from the European Union. Under EU regulations they qualify for Danish student loan and grant support – the most favourable student financing in the world.

Ten years ago this led to a tenfold increase in students from the European Union applying for Danish student funding, as reported by University World News.

Major increase in Nepalese numbers

The news reported by Fagbladet 3F also included statistics on the notable increase in the number of Nepalese students studying in Denmark over the last five years. This has been covered extensively by many newspapers in Denmark, calling for action by the migration minister.

About 1,085 students from Nepal started studying in Denmark in 2024. The year before, only 191 enrolled. In total, 2,446 Nepalese students had residence and work permits in Denmark in 2024. Another 1,725 spouses also had permits allowing them to work.

This significant rise in numbers drew the attention of police. They suspected that students were more interested in earning money than in studying. Most students took jobs in cleaning, hotels, restaurants, and other low-paid service roles.

Many of the Nepalese students, as well as students from Bangladesh, who get their residence permit for studies, are students at the private Niels Brock Copenhagen Business School, where they pay up to DKK292,000 (US$45,000) for a three-year education.

Niels Brock had a deficit of DKK1.6 million (US$ 247,000) in 2023 that in 2024 was turned around to a surplus of DKK16.8 million (US$2.6 million). The surplus is primarily due to income from international students, according to 3F.

On 4 April 2025 3F reported: “14 Nepalese and Bangladeshi students have been involved in criminal cases about fraud in work permit conditions in 2023, and 13 of these were students at Niels Brock.” Some of the students were also allegedly exposed to fraud by their employer.

In his reaction to these allegations, Denmark’s Minister for Immigration and Integration, Kaare Dybvad Bek, said that he was angered over the alleged fraud by both students and their employers, as reported by the Copenhagen police.

“There are examples of students and their accompanying family having misused their residence permit as a shortcut into the Danish workforce, which is in conflict with our regulations. The purpose of student visas is to study, not to work”, Bek noted.

Stringent changes in work permit regulations

As of 6 March 2025, Denmark is moving forward with plans to introduce more stringent work permit regulations for foreign students from non-EU and non-European Economic Area (EEA) countries. This decision was announced by Bek on 5 March.

VISAVERGE on 6 March reported the following changes in work permits for international students from outside the EEA and EU:

• Denmark will restrict automatic labour market access for non-EU-EEA students starting 6 March 2025, to prevent visa misuse.

• Partners of non-EU and non-EEA students will no longer qualify for work permits under the new regulations.

• A sharp rise in Nepalese students and visa misuse prompted these tightened work permit rules.

These changes reflect Denmark’s evolving perspective on managing its international student population and safeguarding its domestic labour market.

The Innovation Times reported on 14 March: “To further ensure that student visas are granted only to those who are genuinely committed to academic pursuits, the Danish Immigration Service has implemented a more rigorous screening process.

“Applicants must now provide detailed proof of financial means, academic intent, and health insurance coverage. Those who fail to demonstrate a legitimate reason for studying in Denmark may face visa rejection or restrictions.”

Not ‘a shortcut to the working market’

An information page on the Niels Brock Copenhagen Business College website states that the international students at the school are following a British education curriculum. The students are getting their examination proof from the partner university of Niels Brock, De Montfort University in Leicester, their collaborative partner since 1994.

“I am tired of the negative reports lately in 3F Fagblad about the international students at Niels Brock,” CEO Any Eskildsen said.

“Primarily because it is creating insecurity and a feeling of suspicion of the students that have come here to take an education. I want to underline that the international students are choosing us because they want to study and not as a shortcut to the working market,” she explained.

She referred to quality evaluations by the Danish Evaluation Institute-EVA accrediting the college’s study programmes together with De Montfort University.

Shaping EU student mobility policies

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) on 10 March published an assessment on the possible impact on Danish development upon other countries in Europe. It said:

“Denmark’s actions could influence immigration and student visa policies across Europe. By tackling specific abuses, Denmark sets an example for countries facing similar issues, such as Germany and Sweden.

“Future EU discussions may adopt Denmark’s approach, leading to stricter rules for student visas and clearer immigration guidelines. These reforms could also push Schengen countries to tighten regulations and improve enforcement for international students.

“Denmark’s visa reforms go beyond local policy changes. They address a key challenge for all EU countries – how to separate real students from those using education as a way to migrate for work,” the assessment stated.

The ETIAS further noted: “As these reforms take effect, schools, policymakers, students, and employers must navigate this issue. The challenge is finding the right balance between welcoming genuine students and preventing misuse.

“Denmark’s approach may lead other European countries to rethink their immigration rules, shaping student mobility policies for years to come.”

Academics call for a middle ground, but it is ‘not easy’

Brian Arly Jacobsen, an associate professor in the Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies at the University of Copenhagen and chair of DM University, a union for academic professionals, told University World News: “It is important that Denmark maintains a fair and balanced approach to international students.

“While we strongly support measures to prevent abuse of the system, we caution against generalising or implementing overly restrictive rules that risk undermining the integrity and attractiveness of Danish higher education.

“International students contribute significantly – not just financially, but also academically and culturally – to Danish universities and to society at large.”

He noted: “We are concerned that the recent tightening of work permit regulations may disproportionately affect genuine students from outside the EU-EEA, many of whom depend on the ability to work part-time in order to support their studies.

“It is crucial to distinguish clearly between individual cases of misuse and the broader community of international students who are here with a sincere intent to pursue an education.”

Jacobsen added: “Moreover, DM University urges Danish authorities to involve educational institutions, student organisations, and labour market actors in developing a transparent and fair framework that upholds academic goals, protects against exploitation, and continues to attract international talent to Denmark.

“If Denmark wishes to remain globally competitive, we must ensure that our policies reflect both integrity and openness.”

Dr Bernd Parusel, senior researcher in political science at the Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies, and an expert on migration, told University World News that he could not say anything specific about the Danish case but gave a general comment.

“Reports about international students using their residence permits or visas for reasons other than studies have also been a concern in many other European Union member countries. A briefing from the European Migration Network showed this quite clearly a couple of years ago.

“Governments and higher education institutions are facing a dilemma. On the one hand, they know that allowing international students to work, at least part-time, is important for many students, especially in countries where tuition fees or the cost of living are high,” he stated.

“If a destination country is very strict regarding students’ right to work, that makes the country less attractive as a destination for students.

“And after all, many domestic students work as well. On the other hand, countries want to make sure that those that are admitted for study purposes really have studying as their main intention. Governments also want to avoid exploitation in the labour market and wage-dumping,” he noted.

“Solving this dilemma by finding a reasonable middle ground between these two political goals is not easy.

“If study permits are used for work purposes, including low-skilled work, that also shows that European countries have a huge demand for foreign labour.

“Officially, some EU countries only want to attract skilled workers for high-paid jobs, but our economies have a big demand for lower-skilled or unskilled workers as well. I think this needs to be acknowledged and dealt with too,” Parusel said.